raga

noun ra·ga \ ˈrä-gə \

|Updated on: 11 Aug 2018

Definition of raga

1 : one of the ancient traditional melodic patterns or modes in Indian music

2 : an improvisation based on a traditional raga — compare tala

Recent Examples of raga from the Web

What raga is to South Asian music — a system of melodic patterns that also serve broadly as a guide — maqam roughly is to Arab, Turkish and Persian music.

— New York Times, "14 Pop, Rock and Jazz Concerts to Check Out in NYC This Weekend," 19 Apr. 2018
While there’s no missing elements of maqam, free jazz, Turkish melody, Indian raga and more, the 80-minute suite’s achievement is building an epic journey that makes each ingredient far less meaningful than the sweeping whole.

— peter margasak, Chicago Reader, "Oak Park native Amir ElSaffar moves beyond cross-cultural hybrids with Rivers of Sound," 1 Feb. 2018
There’s a meditative quality to the songs, which mix elements including raga, Americana and jazz.

— aaron carnes, sacbee, "This partnership fuses Sanskrit and jazz as it seeks a universal peace | The Sacramento Bee," 13 Apr. 2018
The afternoon concert captured here—the first time anyone had performed these two ragas in Paris at the appropriate time of day—makes an effective showcase for his microtonal precision, ingenious phrasing, and penetrating timbre.

— peter margasak, Chicago Reader, "Ensemble dal Niente pianist Mabel Kwan on a playful post-smartphone look at David," 10 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'raga.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.